On Saturday, December 15, Santa and his elves hosted approximately 300 eager Holy Family kids, family, friends and neighbors to breakfast. It was wonderful morning with many smiles from the children, as well as a special feeling of gratitude to all the volunteers and sponsors. Santa would especially like to thank Ed and Lauren Worm from Joe's on Weed, all the supporters of the Kandy Kane Ball, and the parishioners from our sharing parish, St. Raymond de Penafort in Mount Prospect, for their kindness and help. Please see the Photo Albums for more pictures from the event.

On December 10, the priests and writing team members from the Little Italy Grouping presented the Feedback Summary document to the Executive Committee of the Renew My Church Commission. The Feedback Summary reflects feedback received from our parish meetings, as well our groupings conversations, on the scenarios that were presented outlining various structural changes for the grouping. The Executive Committee will now discuss our feedback and prepare a recommendation for the Renew My Church Commission. The Commission will then meet with the Cardinal to review the recommendation, after which a final decision will be made by the Cardinal. A meeting will be held in one of the parishes to update parishioners on the status of the Cardinal's decision. This meeting is tentatively scheduled for January 23, 2019. To view the Feedback Summary and other information on Renew My Church, please click on the title link or picture.

The Knights of Peter Claver is the largest historically African-American Catholic lay organization in the United States. The Order is named for St. Peter Claver, the Spanish Priest who ministered to African slaves. Court #143 is comprised of members from St. Malachy, Our Lady of Sorrows and St. Martin de Porres. We are involved in spiritual, financial, social and service projects that make a difference in our parishes and community-at-large. We are actively seeking new members to help carry out our mission. Meetings are usually held the second Sunday of each month at St. Malachy+Precious Blood Rectory, 2242 West Washington Blvd at 12:30 PM. For details, please contact Vice Grand Lady Elese Dennard at (312) 834-9615 or Grand Lady Robin Watson at (773) 822-1239. We hope you will join us!

The annual Cardinal's Christmas Concert was held on December 9 at Holy Family to a packed church. The concert featured Cardinal Blaise Cupich and The City Lights Orchestra conducted by Rich Daniels. Highlights included the Cardinal's reading of the Gospel Christmas Story According to Luke, Suzanne Palmer, Bruce Henry and Catherine O'Connell's stunning vocals, as well as an old fashioned Christmas Sing-a-Long. The spirited music in such a beautiful setting left all attendees with a warm feeling in their hearts. Special thanks to Cardinal Cupich, Rich Daniels, the wonderful musicians of The City Lights Orchestra, and the Chicago Federation of Musicians, Local 10-208.

Perhaps a special woman or man religious shared with you love, faith, and a belief in all that you could become. Maybe you knew more than one. Today these sisters, brothers, and religious order priests may be elderly, and their religious communities may struggle to meet retirement needs. A second collection will be taken on December 9 at all Masses in support of these wonderful people who have given so much. To make an online donation, please click the picture or title link. For more information, please visit www.retiredreligious.org

Special thanks to all our food pantry volunteers who help distribute over 80 turkeys before Thanksgiving helping to make the holiday a little brighter for those in need. Special thanks to our friends from the Parish of Faith, Hope, and Charity and the HFS for their most generous donations.

#Giving Tuesday is November 27. Please consider a gift to the BVM Legacy of Love initiative. The BVM Legacy of Love is as much your legacy as ours. From the beginning, our mission was carried out with the support and assistance of others like you. Daily, BVMs pray our gratitude for all those,past and present, who have made our ministries possible. Please continue to share in the our BVM Legacy of Love with a gift on #GivingTuesday. Please click on the title link or picture to make a donation.

The St. John Paul II Newman Center is hosting a fundraiser at the Panera Bread (1101 S Canal St) on Wednesday, December 5th from 4:00-8:00 PM. Please bring the flyer (click on the Panera logo to get the flyer) or show an electronic version of it to the cashier when you place the order, and Panera will donate a portion of the proceeds from your purchase to the Newman Center. You can also use the promo code "PRFUND" if you order using Rapid Pick-Up or Delivery! The Newman Center must fundraise 100% of their budget every year, so they appreciate our help. PLEASE click on the picture or title link to get a copy of the flyer.

The Christmas season in upon us, so does our Holy Family tradition of reaching out to those in need to help them have a happy and joyful Christmas. Each ornament holds the name of a teenager wishing mostly for a gift card to Target or Walmart. If you would like to participate in this, select an ornament, and return the card with the ornament or the name of the teenager so that we can make sure they receive it. Please return no later than Dec 9th .

Sr. Marion Murphy, BVM passed away on Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018, at Caritas Center in Dubuque, Iowa. Sr. Marion was beloved by Holy Family and will be greatly missed. Visitation will be from 9-10:15 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2018, in the Marian Hall Chapel. Sharing of Memories will be at 10:15 a.m., followed immediately by the Mass of Christian Burial. Burial is in the Mount Carmel Cemetery. Sister Marion acted as the Pastoral Coordinator at Holy Family and founded the food pantry. In addition, she was an elementary principal in Chicago and Mundelein and an elementary teacher in Portland, Berwyn, and Chicago. She also served as pastoral coordinator, administrative assistant, parish minister and volunteer in Chicago. Born in Chicago on March 14, 1936, to John Joseph and Edna Conway Murphy. She entered the BVM congregation Sept. 8, 1953, from Our Lady of Angels Parish. She professed first vows on March 19, 1956, and final vows on July 16, 1961. Memorials may be given to Sisters of Charity, BVM Support Fund, 1100 Carmel Drive, Dubuque, IA 52003 or online by clicking on Sr. Marion's picture.

Holy Family had a goal of raising $9,407.85 for the 2018 Annual Catholic Appeal. As of September 30, our parishioners and friends have paid a total of $11,310.65. Because of your generosity, the parish has received a rebate in the amount of $1,902.80 for our needs. Thank you for your support of the archdiocese.

Sometimes it’s is easier to focus on what we don’t have, rather than what we do have. It is important to take time out and remember all the things we should be grateful for, and maybe taking for granted. In the back of the church, are leaves in a basket. You are invited to please write the things you are grateful for on these leaves. We will then hang them up in church as part of our Thanksgiving liturgy.

A big thank you goes out to the Family, the Holy Family Parish family and friends for your help in collecting new crew socks for the homeless. Your efforts brought in approximately 1,500 pairs of socks. This is the greatest number that we have collected in several years. The Knights of St. Peter Claver sorted, packed and delivered the socks to The Night Ministry's headquarters on November 8, and they were very grateful to receive our donation. The Night Ministry serves the homeless youth of our city through vans and buses that cruise the streets at night to minister the their physical and emotional needs. Thanks to all who helped

Join us on Monday, January 21, 2019, for our annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Faith in Action Assembly at Liberty Baptist Church in Chicago. At this year’s assembly, we will host a Chicago mayoral candidate forum and gubernatorial accountability session, both focusing on our Platform for Renewal. The assembly brings together more than 1,000 people of faith and community leaders from across the Chicago Metropolitan area to take action on the issues that are most important to our communities. Come hear the candidate's positions on crucial issues and hold our elected officials accountable. For more information and to register, please click on the picture or title link.

Fifty students from UIC are hoping to attend SEEK 2019. What is SEEK2019...it is about discovery. It’s about finding a new perspective, asking real questions, seeing the bigger picture–and becoming who you were always meant to be. ​ These students will join 15,000+ Catholic college students from all over the United States in Indianapolis on January 3-7. The cost to attend is $500, so UIC students are fundraising to help defray the cost. Students will be at all Masses on November 4 to talk about SEEK 2019 and to ask for our support. Please support the future. For more information, please click the title or picture link.

Christ the King Parish in Beverly has developed a letter to Cardinal Cupich asking for change in light of the sex abuse scandal. Please click on the link or picture to see a copy of the letter. At the bottom of the letter there is a link where you can add your name as a signatory. The last day to add your name is October 31. Thus far, there are over 800 signatures.

Approximately 30 parishioners met with the representatives from the archdiocese and the Feedback and Discernment Team to discuss several possible structural scenarios for the Little Italy Grouping (Holy Family, Notre Dame de Chicago, The Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii, and the St. John Paul II Newman Center at UIC). Parishioners asked questions and provided valuable input as to the strengths and challenges of various structural scenarios. These scenarios include a wide variety of options from merging to closing buildings. All parishioners and friends of Holy Family are asked to review the scenarios and tell us what you think by completing the online survey. The timetable for providing feedback to the archdiocese is fast approaching, and we would like to here from you. Please click on the title link or picture to review the scenarios and to complete the survey.

During the month of November, the Church especially prays for all deceased. We invite you to gather in community to celebrate the lives of our beloved who now live in the light of the Lord at the Mass of Remembrance to be held on November 3 at 9:30 AM. If anyone in your family has passed away during this past year, please let us know their names, so that they can be included in our community prayer. Please contact Marina at marina@holyfamilychicago.org.

The annual white sock drive to benefit homeless in Chicago through The Night Ministry is quickly coming to a close. Please bring in new white socks to help us reach our goal of 1,018 pairs. The Knights of Peter Claver will sort, count, and deliver the socks. Please leave your donation in the back of church on in the parish center.